On Being the Only Granddaughter

I’m talking about family dynamics today! First we explored being a baby to older siblings, then we talked about growing up around lots of cousins – now we’re discovering what it’s like being the only granddaughter (or grandson, if that applies to you).

My daughter is the only granddaughter in a sea of grandsons (5 of them) on my husband’s side of the family. Both of the children on that side of the family (my husband and his sister) are finished having children, and all the other cousins are younger, un-married and without children right now. What that means is my baby girl River gets to be the only granddaughter (and great-granddaughter) for a LONG time, maybe ever!

I’m seeing such a beautiful result of this only granddaughter thing – it means that she holds her grandparents in the palm of her hand. It means she makes their eyes light up more than anyone else. It means she gets to be totally unique inside a really big family. It means she gets a LOT of attention!

The fun thing about having the only granddaughter in the family is that everything she does is a wonder to them. How she kisses and hugs all the time, how she giggles and plays shy, how she loves shoes and jewelry already (I’m in trouble!). It’s all new, since all the rough and tumble boys were never like this, and it’s all this really fun result of no other girls to lavish all the girly-ness onto. When she was born all the aunties arrived with a giant box of PINK and I have a feeling that won’t slow down any time soon!

Do you have a son or daughter that is the only one of his/her kind in the family? What fun side-effects do you notice in the family by having the only grandson/granddaughter?

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